This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Such components are known from EP1354304B1. It describes a process for identifying components by applying a marking in a manner secure against falsification. For this, a label with detectible particles is provided that are distributed in a random pattern on the label. These particles are detected by an optical system and stored and can be unambiguously re-assigned by being repeatedly read out. For example, the marking of a tire by a label is described. Even in the case of machine elements the security against falsification and the reproducibility of the manufacture are becoming more and more important, since, for example, falsified, low-quality seals can prematurely wear out or not even achieve the required sealing action and can thus cause immense damage. Furthermore, an identification offers advantages in production control, logistics and accounting. Therefore, the information stored in the identification should be present in a multiply redundant manner. Redundant means that the information is contained multiply and in different forms in the identification in order that the reading out of the identification is possible even if a large part of the identification has been destroyed, for example, by wear and tear on the component. The problem with small components with a curved, for example, toroidal surface is to apply a plurality of information in a multiply redundant manner on the component in such a manner that the identification can be read out with customary readers.